---
title: 'Jay Leno Drives the $18 Million Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder from Ferris Bueller'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=2C37obfRHAg'
video_id: '2C37obfRHAg'
date: 2026-08-18
duration_sec: 1227
channel: 'Jay Leno''s Garage'
---

# Jay Leno Drives the $18 Million Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder from Ferris Bueller

> Source: [Jay Leno Drives the $18 Million Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder from Ferris Bueller](https://youtube.com/watch?v=2C37obfRHAg)

## Summary

Jay Leno and his friend David Lee take a 1963 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder for a drive, discussing its history, design, and driving experience. The car, famously featured in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off,' is one of only 37 produced in its configuration and is valued at $18 million.

### Key Points

- **Driving Impressions** [00:11] — Jay and David discuss the car's nimble handling and quick lane changes, noting it drives better than other classic cars.
- **Engine and Specs** [00:54] — The 250 stands for 2.5L, but this late-production car has a 3L V12 with about 170-179 horsepower. Despite low power, it feels fast due to its light weight.
- **Ferris Bueller Connection** [01:20] — The car gained fame from the movie 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off,' where a replica was used. This car is owned by David Lee, a Ferrari collector.
- **Favorite Era of Ferrari** [02:17] — Jay expresses his love for early-to-mid 60s Ferraris, citing their unique design compared to American cars, with a short wheelbase and front-engine layout.
- **Ferrari's V12 Origin** [03:00] — Enzo Ferrari got the idea for the V12 from Packard during World War I, as Packard V12s were used in Europe.
- **Simplicity of Design** [04:08] — The car's analog gauges are easy to read at a glance, unlike modern digital displays. Everything is metal and chrome, not plastic.
- **Historical Value** [04:48] — David recalls when a Ferrari was sold for $7,500 in the 1960s, a price his boss thought was genius. Now, the car trades for half a dozen new Mercedes.
- **Provenance** [05:53] — The car has a Masini report, documenting its history with about five previous owners, and has spent most of its life in the Bay Area.
- **Engine Bay** [06:32] — The engine bay appears simple with three carburetors, ignition coils, distributors, and twin oil filters. The 3L engine is about 140 cubic inches.
- **Driving Experience vs Modern** [07:24] — Despite not being as fast as modern cars, it feels fun and sounds fast. Jay compares it to a Rimac electric car, which was fast but lacked soul.
- **Why It's Special** [08:20] — The car drives better than other classic Ferraris due to its small, light size and lack of driver aids. Everything is nicely weighted and manual.
- **Community Reputation** [09:29] — Many in the Ferrari community consider this the best road car in design and performance from that era.
- **Performance Context** [11:03] — In the 1960s, very few cars could do 0-60 in under 10 seconds. The car's steering is tight and nimble.
- **Ferrari's Philosophy** [13:07] — Enzo Ferrari was not interested in road cars; he built them to raise money for racing. He didn't care if he lost customers who complained.
- **Market Values** [14:06] — David mentions a friend who sold his Enzo for $5 billion (likely a slip for $5 million), noting crazy prices in the classic car market.
- **Classic Car Ownership** [15:04] — There is a know-how to buying classic cars; many are scared due to high costs. A guy had $700,000 invested in one. Technology was expensive, labor cheap; now it's reversed.
- **Past vs Present Value** [15:45] — David recalls getting a Lamborghini for free because it was old, but now such cars are too valuable to restore casually.
- **Electric Clock Quirk** [16:12] — The electric clock doesn't work unless the battery voltage is above 13.2V; when revs are up, it works.
- **California Spider Name** [17:04] — The car is officially called the California Spider, named for California, and it raced at Daytona.
- **Relaxing Drive** [18:12] — Despite its value, it's a relaxing drive on a perfect California day, with cool air and warm sun.
- **Rarity** [18:55] — Only 37 of this exact configuration were produced, and few survive. It's rare to see even one or two at a show.
- **Nostalgia** [19:36] — Jay reflects on his childhood in New England where any car less than four doors was exotic, and seeing a Lamborghini was a big deal.

### Conclusion

The video showcases the Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder as a pinnacle of classic car design and driving pleasure, emphasizing its historical significance and the joy of driving a piece of automotive history.

## Transcript

>> You got the torque. >> Well, maybe that's the 3 L situation. >> It's very nimble. I feel like when you change lanes, it's like zip. You just zip through it. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I know. All the all my all my other classic cars um road cars, this this one definitely drives the best. >> Yeah. Drives the best. And I just it's just amazing. It's just really well
just amazing. It's just really well done.
little bit of automotive royalty here. the Ferrari California Spider, the 250. The 250 stands for 2.5 L, but this is one of the last cars. So, this has the one of the last cars. So, this has the bigger 3 L motor and V12 and about 170
horsepower, which seems like nothing nowadays, but when you drive it, it's light, it's nimble. You'll see when I was a kid, I thought these V12s were big. You know, I didn't really understand liters versus cubic inches.
eventually, I go, "God, that's not that big at all." But extremely efficient for what they do. Um, you probably saw a replica of this in the Ferris Buer Day Off movie. That was Yeah. Rolls into the out of the garage. Yeah. Which is crazy.
But yeah, but this is that's kind of what made this car famous. Much like the Delorean got famous from Back to the Future. Uh, this one belongs to our good friend David Lee. Uh, he just got it recently. And you know, unfortunately
when you buy a Ferrari, you do not get socks with the car. So, you have to buy those separately. And apparently, he was unable to get to Target today. David >> Hey, Jay. How you doing, buddy? >> Good to see you, my friend. Oh, well,
another hit here. This is great. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm so This is my dream car. I mean, ever since I saw the movie when I was in high school and at my friend's birthday party and and uh it was great. Of course, that was a replica back then.
couldn't believe I got it. So, you're going to try and push it into the woods >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Right. Right. Right. Yeah. This >> you know, this is my favorite era of Ferrari, the early to mid60s that just
always seem the sexiest because they were so unlike American cars, you know. Ferrari really. They always look great, but there's something about this. The short wheelbase, it just seems I don't know. Look, don't
do whatever the movie is, you know. Yeah, it's it's really a good-looking car and they were front engine. Ferrari was pretty, you know, Ferrari got his idea for the V12 from Packard when he was a young man during World War I. The
was a young man during World War I. The Packard V12s were used in Europe for and he just thought that was wow V12. Most cars were single cylinder or came from. So >> he liked the American stuff. engine in
the front, transmission in the middle, drum brakes, disc came very late to Ferrari. Very traditional, dependable. I want to win races. What do we got to do? You know, and so it's it's also my favorite era and and the best looking
wire wheels with this with the knockoff. Yeah. Just an allaround. There's really no bad lines on this. And you see how many other cars, Mustang, everybody else put this sort of who who did this? Is this um
>> Pina Firina. That's right. Okay. The classic wood steering. You know, it's all so simple. It's like it's everything that was in a Fiat but at a higher level. High. No, I don't I don't mean I'm not trying to be insulting. I mean I
mean but >> the chrome's a little deeper. a little bit big. I mean, it just everything works. You know, when you look at when you when you're driving, you look, you can see, you know, modern
cars is so many things that are digital and you have these kind of things that look aircraft, but it's hard to read them, you know. Whereas this, you can tell at a glance where everything is by the red needle. Now, this is a
>> Oh, it is a four-speed. Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Four. >> Well, 63 was a long time ago. [laughter] >> I mean, it was Okay. Yeah. >> So, it's a four-speed, huh? It's a
four-speed and uh about like you said 179 horsepower, but it's just got that Ferrari the red and and like the red little sports car, right? Back then was red little sports car. >> Well, when I worked for I worked place
called Foreign Motors in Boston and we took one in for about we gave the guy took one in for about we gave the guy 5,200 and we sold it for 7,500 and my boss thought the sale salesman was a genius. He couldn't believe he got that
much money for this foreign car. I mean, Ferrari was a storied name even then. It was just beginning, but it was still a secondhand car. >> I mean, nowadays they trade you a half a dozen new Mercedes for Ferrari, but back
then No, no, it wasn't. >> In fact, this car was probably like that. >> Something like that. Yeah. money back then. >> That was a lot of Yeah. My parents paid
>> you know. So, >> wow. That's almost a house, >> Yeah. That's [laughter] And it's still the same. You could get a beautiful this. You got a half a dozen beautiful houses in Beverly [laughter] Hills. How
you know the history? >> Um, yeah, I do. This is great. I mean, this this car is one of the last California spires made, which is very nice. It has the classic K from Ferrari, so so everything's matching and legit.
It has the Masini report, so it knows all the history. I think maybe there was like five owner before that. Okay. Uh it's been a kind of a a Bay Area car. It California. So, it's certainly a real California car. It's been up in the Bay
California car. It's been up in the Bay Area basically all of its life. And you >> Can we open the hood? Let's open. >> Yeah. Okay. Let me grab it over there.
cuz when I was a kid, this seemed like the most complicated. Now it looks so simple to the three carburetors. Your ignition coils, distributors are right here. >> The twin oil filters are right there.
>> I'm not sure how you get those oil filters off without dripping oil over. I mean, you're pulling it up, it just come out the bottom, >> And it's so funny when you realize this was this is a 3 L version as you said,
but 2.5, which is >> which is nothing, [laughter] >> right? Right. >> How many What is that? 140 cubic inches or something like that. Sure. I I'm not sure what is exactly, but these did seem
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> You know, you look at the engine is long >> Right. You'd think it was as big as a Chrysler 440 or [laughter] something, >> But you're right, Jay. Like, you know, like you said, 179 horsepower was when I
was driving here from Walnut to to come here, even though like it wasn't as fast as our modern cars, but it's still fun and seemed kind of fast. I mean, for fast. The sound certainly sounded fast. >> Yeah. Well, that's what I mean. You get
the, you know, that's the thing. You know, I drove one of those. I think it was the Remac electric sports car. It was like, you know, $2.5 million. And at accelerated model. >> But it just
I mean it was fast. I mean faster than fast. Crazy fast. What is the I mean at 60 you're kind of like it's almost like the ignition's off and you're just thump thump. You don't hear an engine. You hear the tires bumps and
>> there was no It didn't have a soul like this, you know. This thing It's just fantastic. >> Yeah. Exactly. So, it's it's just it's gauges, you know, you you look at they actually work. It's you know, you got to
you got it's it's manual shift. Yeah. But it drives great. I I you know, I have the other uh classic Ferraris. I brought them here even before, but this always wondering why is this so much more expensive than the other, you know,
>> And I realized after driving this that it it does drive better. It drives better. It reacts better. You can maneuver through um lanes better. It's >> it's a small, light car with no, you know, now everybody brags about driver
aids not being in the car. But this didn't this didn't they didn't exist when this thing was built. >> Yeah. No, it did not. Everything's new. >> Everything's nicely weighted and >> and everything's metal, you know, like
the housing around the uh traffic indicators. It's not plastic. It's chrome. It's it's it's you know, it's really it's Boy, it's nicely done. without headrest, but >> but it looks better this way. When I see
headrests on, it just looks >> Yeah. [laughter] >> Yeah. This is considered, I think, by many many people in the Ferrari community as the best uh road car uh in design and in performance that that they
ever did. Of course, in the for for the 70s and 70s and that era, but it's it's really the ultimate uh road car. >> I used to love the 330 GTC. >> Yeah. cuz it it sort of had that Mustang proportions, long shot, you know. Yeah.
Just fantastic. >> Well, this thing I I can't wait to >> Can we give it a shot? >> Yeah, sure thing. Let's do it, Jay.
>> Nicely done. >> Yeah. It sounds like a Ferrari. >> Yeah.
>> You got the torque. >> Well, maybe that's the 3 L situation. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's what it is. The >> shifter is very nice. >> shifter is very nice. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> And And like you said, it wasn't It's just feels so fast in this car. >> I mean, that was a lot of horsepower. You know, I've got that 62 Maserati.
Road and Track. >> Uh-huh. said, >> the article begins, why anyone needs 220 >> Uhhuh. >> It's beyond us, but we'll take it. You
know, it's kind of cool. >> I mean, so that was it was a lot then. >> I mean, back in those days, very very few cars can go 0 to 60 in under 10 really fast time. >> Uhhuh. Uh-huh.
>> But when it's really tight, the steering is right. It's very nimble. So, I feel zip. You just zip through it. >> Yeah.
bought a car from auction. I bring it back and, you know, it it runs good, thing. >> Yeah. Mostly a lot of auction cars. >> Yeah. Mostly a lot of auction cars. >> Yeah.
came out? >> I remember it. Yeah. Cuz that's the age when you're just getting interested in cars and this stuff is just made of unobtanium. Unoptanium, you know? You just
big deal too. Like people like in Hollywood they thought this was a a sexy >> This would have been a movie star car. >> Yeah. Yeah, I know. All the all my all my other classic cars um road cars, this this one definitely drives the best.
>> Yeah. Drives the best. And I just it's just amazing. It's just really well just amazing. It's just really well done.
the uh Grand Prix cars technology and brought it into the road car or or not Ferrari just did what he had to do to sell cars to raise money. way. I just mean >> he wasn't really interested in it,
>> And if you're somebody that complained, he didn't care if he lost you as a >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Like all the old fonts on the gauges. >> Like all the old fonts on the gauges. >> Yeah.
you feel like a a lot more air. Uh the other the other my other one the the 250 that's a that's a coupe >> feels so hot you know the tra the air is trapped in there >> like at least here you feel like
>> like at least here you feel like >> the air is circulating
I've driven >> yeah it feels nicely set >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Dan, the guy with the T50, he just
sold his Enzo. He got 5 billion. >> Oh, yeah. >> He sold his Enzo. >> Yeah. 5 billion. He could have got more. >> Yeah. 5 billion. He could have got more. >> Well, 30,000 miles. Oh, okay.
No, those guys are going crazy in the prices. It's like you're in a movie now prices. It's like you're in a movie now with this, you know. Yeah. >> I know. Isn't it? I'm glad you >> Nice and smooth and
>> Do Do you Do you feel the difference compared to my other uh kind of classic you know, I drive so many things. >> Yeah. >> I can't remember. All I remember that I like it and it's very good.
Well, there is a there is a knowhow to to buy a classic car, right? Just like a >> But there's there's a knowhow. So, and I think a lot of people are scared to to right one. >> It's so expensive. We had a guy here the
>> Uh-huh. >> He had $700,000 in it. >> Uh-huh. >> But, you know, cars were built when technology was expensive and labor was cheap. Now it's the other way around.
Yeah. >> Technology is free, but labor is crazy. >> You know, it's funny. There was there was a time where these were just used cars. It's like my yellow Lamborghini. I got that for free
>> cuz it was an old car, you know, >> and we sanded it and painted it. And, dare do that now cuz it's it's too valuable. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Nice car. All the gauges are normal,
right? >> Clock doesn't work. >> Yeah, that's right. >> Yeah. >> No, it's electric, but it always doesn't work. You got to fix it and it works for
>> and then it doesn't work. >> Well, that could be your battery. >> See, most clocks, I suppose, electric clocks in cars, >> they need 13.2 volts to run. And when you when you have a new battery, you got
>> Uhhuh. >> But if your battery drops to 129 >> But if your battery drops to 129 >> Yeah. or even 131 now suddenly you don't >> you know
>> when you have the revs up so the clock starts working again
wood steering wheel you know all this kind of stuff >> you don't get anymore I I really like this car I plan to drive >> yeah Yeah, it probably gets pretty good mileage, too. It's only 2.5 L.
>> Or three 30 three L. >> This is a perfect car for California. California Spider? >> And it was called that in Italy. It's >> Right. Right. Right. >> But because it raced in Daytona,
>> But did we just call it California Spider or was it just the spider in >> the California spider? >> It's always been California. >> Yeah, that's official name. Have you sold many of your watches?
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I've sold I I mean I see it, you know, on my on the I I watch my daily sales report and and I see it pop up there every every once in a >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
Hey J, >> how you doing? Looks good. >> You know, you don't think of something as a relaxing drive in a Ferrari.
>> this really is. I mean, it's I mean, it's a perfect California day. Yeah, >> just the air is just cool enough to the sun warms you. It's cool and the power. >> You don't have to have your foot in it
all the time and >> Yeah. It's just a nice relaxing drive. >> But the car is so valuable that you really can't do I mean you can if you go >> Well, you know me. I'm going to drive it, but I I uh
>> But you're right. This is We just got such great weather for this. And there cars >> that you could get pretty cheaply, you and >> Yeah.
>> And they all got used up. But >> what the ones remaining ones become >> Yeah. >> Well, there's 37 of these that were produced this exact configuration, the best configuration. But um who knows how
>> Yeah. Not a lot of them survive. >> I wonder what the most of a get together there has. How many of these did they ever have a meme for just the >> No, they haven't. I mean, you usually only see one one or two of these. Maybe
>> Yeah. >> It's just so rare. Collector. David Lee Ferrari Collector is is his website.
>> he's got the classic stuff, too. Right. The new stuff was all nice, but I have to admit this, >> because of my age and nostalgia, these were you never saw one. I came from a little town in New England. You know,
anything less than four doors might as well been a Ferrari. You know, everybody >> I remember once when I was in high school, a Lamborghini spotted came >> And kids talking, "OH, I MISS NO, I
didn't see him. >> Yeah. So, it's fun. You take your stuff >> people see it on the road. It's a lot of fun. >> You might hold the record for the most visits.
>> Yeah. Yeah. This is my 15th show. Yeah. >> Thank you. Thank you, Jake. >> See you guys next week. >> Yeah.